Minimally invasive surgical system

Abstract

The distal end of a surgical instrument is movable in all six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of other components of a telemanipulated surgical system. The surgical instrument extends trough a guide tube. The distal end is moved by actuators that are telemanipulatively controlled.

We claim: 
     
       1. A surgical apparatus comprising:
 a robotic manipulator arm comprising a distal end; 
 a platform mounted at the distal end of the robotic manipulator arm; 
 a first actuator assembly mounted on the platform, the first actuator assembly comprising a plurality of telemanipulation actuators, the plurality of telemanipulation actuators comprising one or more motors; 
 a guide tube comprising a distal end; 
 a surgical instrument comprising a transmission mechanism and a distal portion, part of the surgical instrument being inserted through the guide tube so that the distal portion of the surgical instrument is beyond the distal end of the guide tube, the surgical instrument being removably mounted on the first actuator assembly, the transmission mechanism being configured to mate with the plurality of telemanipulation actuators and to transmit actuation forces from the plurality of telemanipulation actuators to the distal portion of the surgical instrument to move the distal portion of the surgical instrument with at least five of six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of movement of the guide tube; 
 a stereoscopic imaging system comprising an image capture component, wherein the stereoscopic imaging system extends through the guide tube so that the image capture component is beyond the distal end of the guide tube; and 
 a second actuator assembly mounted on the platform, the second actuator assembly comprising a second plurality of telemanipulation actuators, wherein when the second plurality of telemanipulation actuators is mated with the stereoscopic imaging system, the second plurality of telemanipulation actuators moves the image capture component with two or more Cartesian degrees of freedom; 
 wherein the two or more Cartesian degrees of freedom of the image capture component are independent of the degrees of freedom of the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one telemanipulation actuator being configured to move the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       3. A method comprising:
 assembling a plurality of telemanipulation actuators in a configuration to mate with a transmission mechanism of a surgical instrument, the plurality of telemanipulation actuators comprising one or more motors; 
 mounting a platform at the distal end of a robotic manipulator arm; and 
 mounting the assembled plurality of telemanipulation actuators on the platform, 
 wherein following mating the plurality of telemanipulation actuators with the transmission mechanism of the surgical instrument, the transmission mechanism is configured to transmit forces from the plurality of telemanipulation actuators to a distal portion of the surgical instrument to move the distal portion with at least five of six Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of movement of a guide tube through which the distal portion of the surgical instrument is inserted; 
 assembling a second plurality of telemanipulation actuators in a configuration to mate with a stereoscopic imaging system; and 
 mounting the assembled second plurality of telemanipulation actuators on the platform, 
 wherein when the stereoscopic imaging system is mated with the second plurality of telemanipulation actuators with part of stereoscopic imaging system being inserted through the guide tube, the second plurality of telemanipulation actuators apply forces to the stereoscopic imaging system that move a distal end image capture component of the stereoscopic imaging system with two or more Cartesian degrees of freedom independently of movement of the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 assembling at least one telemanipulation actuator in a configuration to move the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       5. A surgical system comprising:
 a robotic manipulator arm comprising a distal end; 
 a platform mounted at the distal end of the robotic manipulator arm; 
 a first actuator assembly mounted on the platform and moveable relative to the platform, the first actuator assembly comprising a plurality of telemanipulation actuators, the plurality of telemanipulation actuators including one or more motors; 
 a guide tube comprising a distal end; and 
 a surgical instrument comprising a transmission mechanism and a distal end, the distal end of the surgical instrument being movable in six Cartesian degrees of freedom, part of the surgical instrument being inserted through the guide tube so that the distal end of the surgical instrument is beyond the distal end of the guide tube, the surgical instrument being removably mounted on the first actuator assembly, the transmission mechanism being configured to mate with the plurality of telemanipulation actuators and being configured to transmit actuation forces from the plurality of telemanipulation actuators to the distal portion of the surgical instrument to move the distal end of the surgical instrument with at least five of six Cartesian degrees of freedom; 
 wherein the six Cartesian degrees of freedom of the distal end of the surgical instrument are independent of degrees of freedom of the guide tube; 
 a stereoscopic imaging system comprising an image capture component, wherein the stereoscopic imaging system extends through the guide tube so that the image capture component is beyond the distal end of the guide tube; and 
 a second actuator assembly mounted on the platform, the second actuator assembly comprising a second plurality of telemanipulation actuators, wherein when the second plurality of telemanipulation actuators is mated with the stereoscopic imaging system, the second plurality of telemanipulation actuators moves the image capture component with two or more Cartesian degrees of freedom; 
 wherein the two or more Cartesian degrees of freedom of the image capture component are independent of the degrees of freedom of the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       6. The surgical system of  claim 5 :
 wherein the guide tube is substantially rigid. 
 
     
     
       7. The surgical system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 at least one telemanipulation actuator being configured to move the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       8. The surgical system of  claim 5 :
 wherein the guide tube comprises a flexible segment. 
 
     
     
       9. The surgical system of  claim 8 :
 wherein the flexible segment is effectively lockable to maintain a flexed position. 
 
     
     
       10. The surgical system of  claim 8 :
 wherein compliance of the flexible segment is controlled to be continuously variable between an effectively flaccid state and an effectively rigid state. 
 
     
     
       11. The surgical system of  claim 5 :
 wherein the guide tube comprises a fiber optic bend sensor. 
 
     
     
       12. The surgical system of  claim 5 :
 wherein the guide tube comprises a stereoscopic image capture component. 
 
     
     
       13. The surgical system of  claim 5 :
 wherein the surgical instrument comprises a fiber optic bend sensor. 
 
     
     
       14. The surgical system of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second surgical instrument comprising a distal end, wherein the second surgical instrument extends through the guide tube so that the distal end of the second surgical instrument is beyond the distal end of the guide tube; and 
 a third actuator assembly mounted to the platform, the third actuator assembly comprising a third plurality of telemanipulation actuators, wherein when the third plurality of telemanipulation actuators is mated with the second surgical instrument, the third plurality of telemanipulation actuators moves the distal end of the second surgical instrument with at least five of six Cartesian degrees of freedom; 
 wherein the degrees of freedom of the distal end of the second surgical instrument are independent of the degrees of freedom of the guide tube. 
 
     
     
       15. The surgical system of  claim 5 :
 wherein a longitudinal axis is defined between a proximal end and the distal end of the guide tube; and 
 wherein the two or more Cartesian degrees of freedom of the image capture component comprise pitch and yaw with reference to the longitudinal axis of the guide tube at the distal end of the guide tube.